I tried searching the forum because I figured this has been talked about before but I didn't have much luck, so here it is...

Just for fun I have been tying my stoneflies as wiggle nymphs the past week. I will be trying them out this weekend, but I was curious if anybody else has tied stoneflies as wiggle nymphs. I know that stonefly nymphs 'freeze' up when caught in the current so they usually don't wiggle to much, but I thought it would be a good option to have to use in deeper, slower pools and stripping them slowly across the bottom.

They are deadly. Experiment with different colors and body shapes. I fish them a lot for steelhead here in Erie, I tie them with off the wall colors of ice dub and they are killer. Blue, purple and chartreuse are my favorite, I do tie them in your standard patterns as well like hares ears, natural stones and prince nymphs.

Exactly what I meant MKern. Freezing up probably wasn't the best way to describe it, but from what I have witnessed they don't do a whole lot of wiggling, more or less just cup their bodies and wait to come into contact with something solid.

I understood exactly what was meant by "freezing up." I do appreciate your effort to explain. Hopefully, my reason for expressing my curiousity can be understood by the following.

Just some food for thought. Let me put myself in a bug's shoes, so to speak. Imagine, if you will, I am a stonefly (or mayfly) nymph. I feel right at home on the stream bottom rock when, for some reason, I experience an unplanned departure from my secure position. Oh, my gosh, what do I do now?? I'm totally insecure - and quite uncomfortable - drifting at the mercy of the current. Panic sets in. I long for the security of a nice stream bottom rock so I can resume feeling comfortable and secure and doing those things which I must do to ensure my survival. I'm being tossed to and fro at the mercy of the currents. Every time I come close to thinking I can settle on the next rock the current sweeps me away again. Finally, I realize that, in order to make my way to the security of the stream bottom rocks I've got to try to do something to help myself. I wriggle my body back and forth and up and down and I move my legs in a frenzy to make my way to safety. Finally, it works. I'm back to where I can feel safe and secure (somewhat, anyway).

My experience is that, for the most part, when a nymph is picked up by the stream current it does its best to get back to the bottom. That means there can be a fair amount of movement as it struggles to reach safety. There may be brief moments when a nymph drifts without movement but the way to security takes some serious effort on their part.